| Before we talk about treatment, let's start with a discussion about the human body and about your medical condition.
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Your doctor has recommended that you have surgery to treat an abdominal aortic aneurysm. But what does that actually mean? |
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The aorta is the main blood vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood from your heart to the organs in your body. |
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An aneurysm is a bulge or swelling in a blood vessel. |
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This type of bulge occurs when a blood clot ... or blood clots develop in the aorta, causing to expand. |
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In your case, your doctor has determined that a portion of the aorta passing through your abdomen - the area between your legs and your chest - has developed a blood clot. In most cases these clots are caused by fatty deposits that build up inside the arteries. |
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Aneurysms are dangerous because the blood clot weakens the blood vessel and can cause it to burst. |
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The surgery your doctor has recommended will remove the blood clot ... |
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... and reinforce the weakened wall of the aorta. |
So make sure that you ask your doctor to carefully explain the reasons behind this recommendation. |
